Micro-sample processing method, observation method and apparatus

a processing method and micro-sample technology, applied in material analysis using wave/particle radiation, instruments, nuclear engineering, etc., can solve the problems of reducing the throughput of the process, reducing the imaging resolution, and deformation at the observed portion, so as to reduce sample damage, suppress damage and deformation, and check the structure of the cross-section
US20080283746A1Active Publication Date: 2008-11-20HITACHI HIGH-TECH CORP
1 Cites 8 Cited by

Patent Information

Authority / Receiving Office
US · United States
Patent Type
Applications(United States)
Current Assignee / Owner
HITACHI HIGH-TECH CORP
Publication Date
2008-11-20

Smart Images

  • Figure 1
    Figure 1
  • Figure 2
    Figure 2
  • Figure 3
    Figure 3
Patent Text Reader

Abstract

As sample sizes have decreased to microscopic levels, it has become desirable to establish a method for thin film processing and observation with a high level of positional accuracy, especially for materials which are vulnerable to electron beam irradiation. The technological problem is to judge a point at which to end FIB processing and perform control so that the portion to be observed ends up in a central portion of the thin film. The present invention enables display of structure in cross-section by setting a strip-like processing region in an inclined portion of a sample cross-section and enlarging the display of the strip-like processing region on a processing monitor in a short-side direction. It is then possible to check the cross-sectional structure without additional use of an electron beam. Since it is possible to check the processed section without using an electron beam, electron beam-generated damage or deformation to the processed section is avoided. Further, performing the observation using a high-speed electron beam after forming the thin film enables observation with suppressed sample damage. Processing of even thinner thin films using the FIB while observing images of the sample generated using an electron beam is then possible.
Need to check novelty before this filing date? Find Prior Art

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to a micro-sample processing and observation technology using a focused ion beam.

[0003] 2. Background Art

[0004] With the micronization of semiconductors, the need to observe and analyze microstructures has greatly increased. Focused Ion Beam (hereinafter abbreviated to FIB) apparatuses are capable of processing micro-samples, and can therefore be used, in particular, as sample pre-processing apparatuses for apparatuses capable of observing micro-samples, such as Scanning Electron Microscopes (hereinafter abbreviated to SEM), Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopes (hereinafter abbreviated to STEM), and Transmission Electron Microscopes (hereinafter abbreviated to TEM). Since FIB techniques allow the imaging of secondary particles (such as secondary electrons) generated by a sample and the setting of a processing region based on the images, it is possible to form a section at a desired poin...

Claims

the structure of the environmentally friendly knitted fabric provided by the present invention; figure 2 Flow chart of the yarn wrapping machine for environmentally friendly knitted fabrics and storage devices; image 3 Is the parameter map of the yarn covering machine
Login to View More